Covered receptacle.



H. L. SCHAFFNER.

COVERED RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28,1913- Q LWUAQHI... Patented Apr. 25,1916.

mvrrnn ears HENRY L. sonnrrivnn, or rronnivon, ITALY.

oovnnnn ianonrractn.

LlldllAl ill.

Application filed April 28, 1913.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY L. SGI-IAFFNER, of Florence, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Covered Receptacles; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is a novel improvement in covered receptacles particularly that type which are made of glass or vitreous material, and have covers of ground glass, or other suitable unoxidizable substance.

The principal object of the invention is to connect the cover to the receptacle body by a loose hinge connection which will. permit the cover to automatically adjust itself upon the mouth of the receptacle and close same tightly without requiring manipulation to effect such sealing.

Another object is to provide novel means for loosely hinging the cover to the receptacle.

Other features of the invention and novel details of construction thereof will be here inafter explained in describing the several forms of containers shown in the accompanying drawings to which I refer and which will impart a clear understanding thereof; but the various forms shown are merely illustrative and not definitive of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a receptacle showing the cover closed in full lines, and opened in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a receptacle of the type shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top'plan view of another receptacle and cover. Fig. 4: is a side View thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, the receptacle 1 may be of glass, or any other preferred material, and as shown is in the form of an ordinary ink well, having a flat top and provided with a pocket or well 1 for containing fluid or material, said pocket being open at top. This pocket is closable by a cover 2 which is preferably made of glass or other like material ground 011 its under side to fit closely on the top of the receptacle and close the mouth of the well 1 therein. The cover 2 is detachably hinged to the receptacle as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by having its rear end transversely perforated as M2 and trans fixed by a rod 3 which is of less diameter than the perforation in the cover so that the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, llH ilti.

Serial No. 764,124.

cover is loose on said rod and can adjust itself automatically thereon. The rod 3 is loosely connected to the receptacle 1 by means of a yoke 4: which may be formed of wire and extends underneath and up each side of the receptacle and is seated in grooves 1 and 1 in the bottom and sides of the receptacle as shown.

As shown in Fig. 2 the receptacle 1 has three wells 1 and covers for each well; which covers are each loosely hinged on the same rod 3 but can be independently opened or closed. The rod 3 may have one end 3 threaded and screwed through the eye l on the adjacent end of the yoke t, while the other end of the rod may project through the eye 4 on the adjacent end of the yoke and have a milled head 3 by which it can be rotated. By screwing up rod 3 the hinged covers could be clamped together to keep them from being casually opened in transport. Each cover 2 has a beveled projecting shank portion 2 at rear so that when it is opened it can stand in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l.

The extremities of the wire forming the yoke eyes 4t, l are preferably cut off square as indicated at a, Fig. 1, to engage the top of the receptacle and thus assist in positioning the yoke thereon and preventing it moving vertically.

Each cover 2 may be provided with one or more pits, as indicated at 2 in the drawings, in which drops of material taken from the well may be deposited for use as required. Said pitted covers would be especially useful when the wells contain substances of which only very small quantities are used at a time. In dentistry, for example, if a small amount of substance is required for use, it can be withdrawn from its well 1 while the cover is opened and when the cover is closed deposited in the pit of the cover where it remains ready for use by the dentist without exposing the entire contents of the well.

In Fig. 3 the receptacle 1 is shown as rectangular and has lateral grooves 1 in its sides near its top, which grooves are engaged by the side members of a rectangular wire yoke P, the extremities of which at the rear side of the receptacle are turned upwardly as at 4%, and their upper ends are bent inwardly toward each other forming pintles 4- which are adapted to loosely engage sockets 2 in the sides of the shank of a ground cover 2 this construction. being such that said cover can freely adapt itself to the mouth of the receptacle and close same.

It Will be seen that in each case the cover has a loose hinge connection With the receptacle Which enables it to freely adjust itself fiat upon the mouth of the receptacle and closely seal it. Such loose connection enables the cover to seat itself as closely as if it had no hinge connection at all With the receptacle; While at the same time the cover is always retained in position over its receptacle.

The spring Wire yokes described afiord an easy means for detaching or attaching the covers to the receptacles and greatly facilitatescleansing of the receptacles and covers Whenever desired. The covers and yokes are preferably loosely articulated together as described so that the cover may through its own Weight adapt itself freely to the ground edge of the receptacle opening and close it hermetically; and the rearward extension of the cover provides a ready means to support it When raised.

In some cases the yokes might be advantageously used to hinge covers to receptacles, regardless of the capacity of the cover for self-adaptation, as Where such close fitting covers are not desired.

What I claim is:

1. The combination With a receptacle having a Well and an exterior yoke engaging groove extending along the length and both sides of the receptacle, and a cover adapted to seal the Well having a hinge portion; With a spring yoke detachably fitted in the groove in the receptacle and having its ends projecting beyond the groove adjacent the hinge portion of the cover and loosely engaged with said hinge portion of the cover to permit the cover to adapt itself to the Well, the yoke and cover being thus detachably attached to the receptacle, substantially as described.

2. In combination With a receptacle having a Well and an exterior groove extending along the length and both sides of the receptacle, a cover adapted to seal the well having a hinge portion; an integral U- shaped yoke detachably fitted in the groove in the receptacle and having its ends projecting beyond the groove adjacent the hinge portion of the cover and provided with eyes, and a rod attached to the hinge portion of the cover and passing through said eyes, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I afiix my si ature.

HENRY L. SCHAFFNER.

Gopies or this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. G. 

